Beginners dress sewing

purpleivy

Gwendolyn wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies. You have all made some very good points.


I have now narrowed it down to two patterns with very few pieces and seams - the pictures on the "back" are very useful for this. I have also found patterns with no need for zips at this stage.


There is a lady in my village who is a dressmaker by trade who offers classes. They are not at a time I have been able to make. But she will do a 1-to-1 for me on zips. I may ask OH for a couple of lessons with her for my Christmas present.


I know by the time you have the fabric etc - it's not necessarily a money saving idea. After all, you can buy lovely dresses from charity shops for less than £5. However, it's more about the skill for me and having a bit of fun being able to make a dress in a fabric I like. I have lots of old pieces to use for a dummy run.

For me it's more about having something that fits correctly.

fiddlesticks

I have been sewing for years. Not sure I have actually learned anything and I don't follow the rules as I'm too lazy:-)
Every pattern I use requires hours of maths to fit me and it usually ends up too big- anything fitted will never happen.
I don't press as it ruins things when I try, I use the cheapest fabric I can find and the one time I made a toile it fitted perfectly but the final garment didn't.
All that being said, I can't buy clothes in Tesco so if I buy 3meters of fabric for 6-10 quid and manage toget a shirt I can wear to work its cheaper (and quicker) than the 40 quid and 2 weeks wait than one would cost online.
I don't sew for the destination but the journey, hope over experince.etc

ScotinLondon

If the link works - simplicity are doing a sew saturday on 15/10/2016 with sewmag.co.uk. Might be interest to anyone.

http://www.sewmag.co.uk/sew-saturday-2016/about.html

SILx

Grumpmum

Hi,

Has anyone seen the DK book A Little Course in Dressmaking? (Think its called that.) the Dk books are usually really straightforward and informative. Think I have a copy somewhere and must look it out. I have used my machine for quilting, but want to learn how to make my own clothes too.

VfM4meplse

I'd love to be an able seamstress, I just think it's very difficult to avoid the "homemade" look

ScotinLondon

The lady behind sewing bee is now doing some free online tuitions - link below

http://www.learntosewwithapro.com/choosing-your-sewing-machine/?mc_cid=f73094f336&mc_eid=a16cb48386

I did do sewing classes last year the in middle of exams, but have I done any pattern sewing since then - have i heck! RL gets in the way! Hemmed up trousers and the like but that is it. Think all will have to wait until all my exams have finished and then re-learn it.

I have one of the large DK dressmaking book and another little one, between them and some sewing magazines - i have got my head around on how to do things. I have a very literal/straightforward brain - so when i have read the instructions on a sewing packet - they have confused me. I definitely need to read it twice before i understand what i need to do.

Have a good rest of the evening all!

SiL

PlaysNicely

:wave:

Just a quick check in to see how it's going Gwendolyn ... did you find a pattern to get started with?

I did manage to get signed up for lessons & have been fitted in for Tuesdays (a non-work day for me) ... my first lesson is today and I'm really looking forward to it!

Hope everything's going well for everyone else and winter wardrobes are underway!

PNx

Blether

Butterick See and Sew patterns are reasonably priced and most are fairly simple. Try and find something that is not too fitted. You can pick up sewing books in many charity shops. My advice would be to buy any sewing items that you see in a charity shop and start a folder with sewing tasks before you go to a full garment. Get some old scrap material and practise putting a zip in, darts, sewing buttons etc. That way you are not wasting a garment if you mess up. Start sewing with low cost material. There is a sewing forum and they are a helpful lot. There is a wide range of experience from beginners to very knowledgeable. There is also threads about where to get material that won't break the bank.
http://www.thesewingforum.co.uk/

DigForVictory

My Aunt used to make various summer frocks & was vehement, it was only worth doing if you bought the really nice fabric. That way you had a unique & lovely garment that could with care keep going for years, plus the quality of the fabric mildly distracted the eye from any minor faults in the construction. She'd buy end of bolt lengths from Liberty's & looked glorious.
I follow her advice but stick to wool and smocks rather than frocks as I worry about sparks etc from fires. She'd approve of my sewing but blink at my taste in garments, being very much of the Edith Head & Grace Kelly school of clothing.

maryb

I can really recommend Craftsy. All their courses go on sale quite regularly so no need to pay full price. Alison Smith (who wrote the big DK book and runs a sewing school in Ashby de la Zouche) is brilliant, though I think her Craftsy classes are a bit more advanced. But there are lots for beginners - I got one for my daughter when she started sewing.https://www.craftsy.com/sewing/classes/sewing-studio/35450 or this one would be quite goodhttps://www.craftsy.com/sewing/classes/sew-for-yourself-fit-fashion-essentials/61090

And if you want to learn how to fit, the Palmer and Pletsch method is very good. They also have a couple of Craftsy classes on that as well as other fitting classes